Cortexaphan
Cortexiphan is a highly experimental drug created in 1981 by Dr. William Bell and Dr. Walter Bishop, and patented to Massive Dynamic. Cortexiphan is meant to prevent the natural shrinking of brain power and mental ability refered to by Bell as "limitation". Cortexiphan was created by Walter Bishop and William Bell. They ran clinical trials from 1981 to 1983 in Ohio and Jacksonville (although Nina Sharp originally told Olivia Dunham there was only one trial in Ohio, before later informing her of the Florida trials) ("Ability"). The drug was intended to prevent the natural shrinkage, or limitation, of the human mind. As explained by Nina Sharp, the drug could prevent the shrinkage, but not reverse it. As such, the drug was administered to children. The drug was tested on a group of children that attended a Daycare facility run by Walter. The group included Olivia, Susan Pratt, Nancy Lewis, Nick Lane, and many others. Cortexiphan was meant to prevent, not undo, "limitation" that devoloped with adolescence. This is why the drug was administered to children. Walter and Bell theorized that it might enhance certain abilities in predisposed children, especially the ability to travel between universes. Administering the drug to young children whose potential had not yet been limited could theoretically help release their extraordinary potential. The drugs were extensively animal tested. Cortexiphan was not approved by the FDA. At least one participant, Simon Phillips gained telepathic abilities, but lacked any way to control them, forcing him to constantly "hear" the thoughts of others while in there presence. This unforseen consequence forced Bishop to remove him from the trial before it was completed. ("Concentrate and Ask Again") It was later revealed that the trials continued much later than previously stated. Walter had discovered a mechanical method to cross between universes, and in 1985 used it to save the life of an alternate version of his son, Peter Bishop. He successfully brought this version of his son from the other side to this one. ("Peter") However, this mechanical method damaged the barrier between universes, which in turn began a chain reaction that began the slow decay of both universes and ignited a war between them. ("There's More Than One of Everything") Recognizing that any further use of his machine to cross between worlds would accelerate the process, he decided instead to use the children in the hopes that they could safely cross between worlds and return Peter to his own universe. ("Subject 13") Olivia Dunham was perhaps the greatest success of the trial, and demonstrated a number of abilities after receiving the drug, including the ability to safely cross between universes. However, Walter discovered that this ability was not easily controlled, and required intense emotional stimuli in to activate, and he began experimenting with frightening Olivia. After realizing that it was the abuse from her step-father that was allowing her to cross over, Walter discontinued his experiments with her emotions, as he empathized with her, and even threatened her stepfather into ceasing his abuse. ("Subject 13") Bell and Bishop later discontinued the clinical trials after Peter began to accept this reality as his own. According to Nina Sharp, Bell "theorized that the human mind at birth is infinitely capable, and that every force it encounters; social, physical, intellectual, is the beginning of a process he referred as "limitation"; a diminishing of that potential. " Cortexiphan works on perception by limiting the process of "limitation". Cortexiphan is based on the notion that perception is the key to transformation. Theoretically, reality is both subjective and malleable. "If you can dream a better world you can make a better world ...or perhaps travel between them." Cortexiphan has a number of possible effects, ranging from telekinesis to mind reading. Cortexiphan subjects are also able to travel safely between universes and sense the presence of alternate universes or items from alternate universes through a telltale "glimmer." Powers granted by Cortexiphan are difficult to control, and many subjects were plauged by an inability to do so, resulting in many deaths, both of subjects themselves and people around them. However, it is possible, with practice, to control the abilities. Names: Olivia Dunham, Nancy Lewis, Susan Pratt, Nick Lane, Sally Clark, James Heath, Miranda Green, Lloyd Becker, Julie Heath, Alan DeRosa, Timothy Ober, Simon Phillips, Cameron A., Lisa B., Tessa E., Rich N., Annie P., Ken T. Season 5 It is used on Olivia 4 times to save Michael on Liberty Isalnd. She cross to the other universe 2 and back here 2.